Researchers asking is acupuncture as effective as antidepressants, have carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of the pooled results of nine small randomised controlled trials. They stated that the evidence is inconclusive but efforts are being made to standardize complementary approaches to treat depression, and further systematized research is warranted.
(A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, January 2007.)